Music
by Ninaeva
Summary: A little RnR, before the imminent invasion, is good for the morale... Shepard hears the music, and is curious... fem!Shep/Miranda one-shot


_**A/N:** I forgot my memory stick with unfinished chapters of the **Arrival** and **After Duel**! :( Im on a seminar, but I have lots of free time, which I planned to use, to finish those stories, but I wouldnt be me if I didnt forget something -.- So, instead of updating existing stories, Im forced to write a new one... Which isnt so bad, coz the idea for this one was in my head since I drew Shep and Miri playing the piano :) You can see the drawing on deviantart (dot) com, its called Piano Lesson, if you are interested... Anyway, here is a little something to pass the time, until I get back home..._

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><p>Music. Where for the love of Reaper is it coming from? And its classical music. Who on this warship loves classical music? Kelly, Doc and…. Miranda. But, damn, they are all on the same level and I cant deduce from whose quarters its coming from. I'm gonna see Doc first, coz if she is listening to the music, maybe she has some drinks too.<p>

I made my way towards the Med Bay. God, I think she sleeps there, she never leaves Med Bay. Windows' are transparent, but I cant see her. That's odd.

Not Doc, then. Next stop, Kelly's quarters.

Hmm, the sound is getting weaker, which means Im going the wrong way.

Not Kelly, either. That leaves Miranda.

Shit. I still haven't talked with her about the… Engine Room. Maybe now would be a good time, seeing how we don't have anything to do now that Collectors are defeated, and Reapers have yet to make contact.

Soon, I found myself in front of my XO's office. Yep, music is definitely coming from here. I took a deep breath before I opened the door.

"Hey Laws…." I stopped mid-sentence to take in the scene in front of me. Miranda was wearing a casual, white dress, her hair tied in a loose ponytail. She was sitting at the piano, playing. When did she get the PIANO? Though, Im not surprised she knows how to play. She knows everything.

Standing next to her and leaning on the piano, with a wine glass in her hand, was Kelly, in dark jeans, a tight, light blue t-shirt, and a big grin on her face. On the couch, Doc was lounging, her glass almost empty. She was still in her uniform. And even Kasumi was there, sitting on Miranda's desk, with her hood down.

Wow, I have never seen Kasumi with her hood down.

"Hey Shep, come in, join the party." I realized I was staring, so I coughed in my hand, while obeying Kasumi's instructions.

"So, um… What's going on here?" I tried to act nonchalant, though that was really, really hard for me right now. "Was that… I mean, were you playing Nielsen's Fifth?"

"Why Commander, I didn't know you knew anything about Earth's classical music? If I did, I would have invited you too." Miranda said, sounding pleasantly surprised. "Yes, that was Carl Nielsen's Fifth Symphony."

"I don't, really." I muttered under my breath. And that was the truth, I only listened to Nielsen's Fifth, when Miranda, um, mentioned it.

"Do you play any instrument, Shepard?" Kelly wanted to know.

"Yeah, I play guitar. I even tried to learn to play piano, though I quickly lost interest."

"Maybe you just didn't have the good teacher." Kasumi said, glancing between me and Miranda. What is she trying to say? Never mind. I don't think anyone except Kasumi knows what she is trying to say half the times she says something.

"You came to join us Commander? Or did you want something _specific_?" Miranda asked smirking, as she stood up to fill another glass with wine.

I eyed the glass she was holding for me, but finally shook my head "No thanks, I have to return to CIC, I just… I was just curious." I went towards the door. "Talk to you later, Lawson." I added over my shoulder, before the doors closed.

Were that… giggles? Why on Earth would they be giggling now? Damn, I swear I can better understand krogans than my own species.

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><p>"I got it just this morning." Miranda said proudly, eying the piano.<p>

"I don't think Shepard even noticed the extra cargo." Kelly chuckled.

Miranda raised one eyebrow. "Why do you say that?"

"Oh, she just seems… preoccupied."

"Yeah, staring at your _assets_." Kasumi chipped in, giggling.

Miranda just rolled her eyes "You can be so childish at the times, Kasumi."

"But she is right! Everyone noticed how she stares at you when she thinks nobody is looking!" Kelly exclaimed, just as Doctor Chakwas walked in "Nobody is looking at what? Oh, that piano is just beautiful, Miranda."

"Thank you Doctor." Miranda said with a smile, but then she glared at the yeomen and the thief "Oh nothing, Kelly and Kasumi are just…"

"Telling our dear XO what everyone on this ship, including the ship herself, except her and Commander, have noticed." Kasumi jumped in, cutting Miranda off.

"What? That our two top ranked officers are in love?" Doctor said with a smile. Miranda just stared at her, while Kasumi and Kelly started giggling. "Exactly!" They said at the same time.

"OK, OK, you had your fun, but now that we are all here, can I begin?" Miranda said seemingly annoyed, but unable to hide the small smile that tugged at the corners of her lips.

"Oh, yes please!"Kelly squealed and Kasumi said "I'll take out the drinks." while Doctor relaxed on Miranda's couch.

After testing few piano keys, Miranda smiled "So, lets see if you can guess this one."

After a few moments, Kelly squealed "That's Mozart!" Miranda smiled at the yeomen, as she changed the tune. Few moments later, Doctor offered "Bach?" Miranda gave her a slight nod, and Doctor smiled approvingly.

"This one is my favorite." Miranda said, changing tune once again. Kelly and Kasumi opened their mouths at the same time to say something, when the doors suddenly opened.

"Hey Laws…" Shepard stood at the door, mouth slightly open, staring at them. Or just staring at the XO and glancing at the rest of them.

"Hey Shep, come in, join the party." Kasumi greeted the Commander, bringing her out of her trance. She coughed in her hand coming closer to the center of the room.

"So, um… What's going on here?" Shepard tried to act nonchalant, without success. "Was that… I mean, were you playing Nielsen's Fifth?"

"Why Commander, I didn't know you knew anything about Earth's classical music? If I did, I would have invited you too." Miranda said, genuinely surprised. "Yes, that was Carl Nielsen's Fifth Symphony."

Shepard muttered something too quiet for them to hear, blushing a little, for some reason. Chakwas watched them, amused, sipping her wine.

"Do you play any instrument, Shepard?" Kelly wanted to know.

"Yeah, I play guitar. I even tried to learn to play piano, though I quickly lost interest." The CO was obviously glad for the change of topic. Though, with these women, that couldn't last long.

"Maybe you just didn't have the good teacher." Kasumi said, glancing between Shepard and Miranda. Shepard seemed to ponder what the thief meant with that comment, while Kelly, who understood immediately, fought to contain her giggles.

"You came to join us Commander? Or did you want something _specific_?" Miranda asked, emphasizing the last word and smirking, making it even harder for Kelly to contain her laughter, as she stood up to fill another glass with wine for the CO.

Shepard eyed the glass Miranda was holding for her, but finally shook her head "No thanks, I have to return to CIC, I just… I was just curious." She stumbled over her words as she went towards the door. "Talk to you later, Lawson." She added over her shoulder, just before the door closed. Kelly burst out laughing, while Kasumi and Doctor giggled.

Miranda only shook her head "You are incorrigible." But still, she couldn't hide the smile that was plastered firmly on her lips, as she took her seat at the piano.


End file.
